1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a target device such as an image reading device, a device management system, a device management method, and an external device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a remote maintenance system collectively conducting remote monitoring of target devices such as a plurality of types of terminal devices exists (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 1995-210729). A remote maintenance system that can remotely write latest programs to target devices also exists (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-267857).
In respect to the security enhancement that each enterprise individually pursued, enterprises with technology providing a PC platform assembled to form TCG (Trusted Computing Group), addressing to create new hardware/software having higher reliability and safety as an industry group. In the TCG, specifications of a TPM (Trusted Platform Module) chip pertaining to a security chip are stipulated for the computing platform (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-317026).
However, conventional remote maintenance systems shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 1995-210729 and 2000-267857 had problems that identity and validity of units composing the target devices cannot be ensured.
In other words, the conventional arts had problems that validity and identity cannot be confirmed if a part of the units composing the target device is illicitly tampered or replaced when remotely using or managing (maintaining, etc) the target devices.